Training Program

A training program at the Lewis & Clark College Student Counseling Center is provided for doctoral students in clinical and counseling psychology and counseling interns. These trainees have completed at least one year of supervised training and have interests in serving individual clients who are often young adults in a college setting. The goal of Lewis & Clark’s training program is to prepare trainees with a focused, intense experience in providing ethically informed clinical services to a college population while gaining self-awareness and working with a professional staff. The professional staff includes psychologists, LCSWs, LPCs, and administrative staff. Trainees might also work to some degree with health profession providers such as nurse practitioners and faculty/professionals of the LC community (e.g., Deans, Campus Living Staff).

Training Philosophy: The staff adhere to a developmental model of supervision, in which trainees are gradually given assignments that seem appropriate for their level of training and professional identities. Sensitivity to diversity and multiculturalism are highly valued by our staff. Thus, trainees are also expected to value self-awareness as they meet a variety of clients and work with LC’s professional staff to meet clients’ needs. Staff pay attention to ethics and give ample opportunity for trainees to learn about various issues as they progress throughout the academic year.

Expectations

Expectations of our program are as follows:

• Complete a +550 hour (20 hrs/ x 32 week) commitment as follows:

     Duties                                      Hours per week

     Direct Client Contact                10-12

     Individual Supervision              1

     Group Supervision                    1

     Staff Meetings                            1

     Preparation for Supervision      1

     Administrative time                    5-6

Trainees will also complete 2 Outreach/Professional Presentations and 2 Case Conceptualization Presentations over the course of the training year

• Orientation: Trainees are expected to coordinate their academic schedules with the LC calendar to optimize their ability to participate in transitional activities. Thus, at the onset of the year, trainees are expected to communicate as needed to ensure that they are able to orient to LC. This might include participating in a campus tour or learning about how the Student Counseling Center clinically functions to provide care for its clients. Trainees will also be alerted to their resources, such as the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct as well as the APA Multicultural Guidelines published in 2017 and the ACA Code of Ethics as well as the APA Multicultural Guidelines published in 2017.
• Direct Client Contact: Trainee are expected to conduct Brief Initial Consultations “BICs” with “first time” clients of the Student Counseling Center. Orientation time will be geared towards preparation for this role. In addition to BICs throughout the academic year, trainees will be expected to provide individual and couples counseling services for clients. Trainees may co-facilitate groups with a senior staff and it is beneficial if the trainee has taken the appropriate “group counseling” course at their graduate program. Individual and couples’ sessions are expected to adhere to a short-term model of mental health services; however, to provide a well-rounded training experience, some clients might be seen over the course of the academic year. 
• Individual Supervision & Preparation for Supervision: The hallmark of our training program is quality supervision. It is highly valued by our center, and trainees are expected to attend weekly individual meetings with their supervisor. In addition to weekly meetings with a primary supervisor, trainees are encouraged to consult with other staff as needed or as appropriate. Given that some sessions may be reviewed in supervision, trainees are expected to video-record sessions and spend time reviewing sessions, such that growth in self-awareness, client care, and ethics are noted. Reading relevant research and consulting with staff is encouraged, to help trainees learn to integrate research and theory with their clinical experiences.
• Group Supervision: To address professional roles, identity, clinical topics, and to provide additional support for clients’ welfare, trainees are expected to participate in weekly group supervision. The goal of these meetings is to provide additional supervision and to help trainees meet the demands of the academic year. Various guests and didactics will be offered periodically (approx. 1x per month) during this time, based on staff expertise areas and supervisee interests. Multiculturalism is a primary value of a variety of the staff, and group supervision is a medium to provide structured training in this theme. Thus, in addition to processing various clinical challenges, trainees are expected to participate in assignments, exercises, or discussions related to multiculturalism and DEI as they continue through the academic year (approx. 1x per semester but also woven throughout our general discussions), along with various additional readings and reflections.

Trainees will also participate in clinical case consultation meetings with the SCC Senior Staff 2x per month, whereby they can consult on cases, connect, and learn with the larger senior staff team.

• Outreach/Professional Presentation: Given that a college environment provides ample opportunities to work with a variety of students, a trainee is expected to provide some type of outreach service to students or to professional staff at LC. This service is to be outside their clinical duty (e.g., individual/couples, group). For example, a presentation to students in a residence hall, or even to the LC staff on a special topic, could be a way to provide a “service” to the LC community. You can work with your clinical supervisor for guidance. Directions and details on the specific requirements will be made available by your Training Director.
• Case Conceptualizations: Choosing and utilizing a therapy theory is paramount to providing good client care. Our trainees are expected to provide two case conceptualization presentations (one per semester, generally toward the end of each semester) for their trainee colleagues and for the clinical supervisors. If utilizing a PowerPoint presentation, which is highly recommended, this must be stored on your external hard drive that is kept at the SCC. You can work with your clinical supervisor for guidance. Directions and details on the specific requirements will be made available by your Training Director.
• Professional/Appropriate Attire: Trainees are expected to pay attention to the college environment and represent a professional attitude, appearance, and demeanor when at LC doing official business.
• Attendance: The expectation is that all trainees be on site each week, regardless of scheduled client appointments. Thus, time could also be used for supervision preparation, professional reading to aid client care, additional administrative work, or for other professional activities. Trainees are permitted to take day(s) off for out-of-town internship or job interviews. All trainees are allotted 1 full day per term for “other professional activities” if required by their graduate program. They are not expected to take time off for studying related to routine class exams, papers, or projects. If a trainee misses significant hours in sick time (3 or more days) or for time taken for other professional activities (if the activities fall outside of the allotted time per term) the training director and/or clinical supervisor may ask trainee to make up some hours, to optimize training and meet trainee’s graduate program hour requirements.
• Logs/Records: Trainees are expected to keep logs of their hours and activities as needed for progress through their program. Clinical supervisors can only “approve” hours for work and services provided while at the Student Counseling Center. All client notes are to be signed by a trainee’s supervisor; no client notes, therapy notes, nor recordings are to be taken off the premises of the Student Counseling Center. When sessions are recorded, those materials are to be kept under lock and key at the Student Counseling Center. Client notes are expected to be completed within a week of direct client contact (*ideally within 1-2 days). This includes the documentation of phone calls with clients. This topic will be reviewed more during orientation, and may be periodically reviewed with your clinical supervisor as well.
• Evaluation: Both formative and summative evaluations occur at our site. By the end of the year, trainees will receive feedback from clients, LC staff, and their clinical supervisors in an effort to have a varied perspective on their training experience. In addition, trainees will be given an opportunity to provide an evaluation of the training site and their individual clinical supervisor by the end of the year. Written feedback about their progress in the training program will be given in time to align with their graduate program’s calendar.

There are other guidelines to our training program that are further detailed once a trainee is selected for placement.

If you have questions related to the training program offered at the Student Counseling Center, please contact Cindy Marino, Training Director and Staff Psychologist at cmarino@lclark.edu or by calling 503-768-7160.

Application Process

Advanced doctoral candidates: Applicants need to coordinate their application and interview process with the Practicum/Internship Coordinator or Training Director at their respective graduate program.

Applicants typically start this process in the winter/spring term of the year prior to when they intend to complete a practicum/internship training.

LC graduate counseling interns: Review the site materials provided by your program including: LC Grad: Lewis & Clark College Student Counseling Center, which provides details on the application requirements.

We review applications as received. Following our review of your application, we will reach out with a status update. For those selected to interview, we anticipate holding interviews at various times on January 13, 14, and 16, 2025.